Clio Euro Series returning for Season Two

Some of you may be familiar with the front tyre-eating little Renaults from the Clio Cup. They were used in Season One of TPS's Clio Euro Series, a popular and highly competitive series ran on more club-like tracks. If you like them and was thinking about joining the tightly packed field of 30 racers, breathing down each other neck lap after lap, there's good news for you: Clio Euro Series is back in 2012 with Season 2!

The league returns in a virtually unchanged format, targeting a 30+ grid on each of the 6 tracks, chosen with maximizing the overtaking potential of the nimble French cars in mind. Races will utilize the same formula of two short (little over 60km each) races per round, plus a full custom skin support. We are staying with the original rFactor and the modified Clio Cup 2008 mod too.

We kick off on a longest venue, Poland's Poznań GP track, a very raceable, classic F1-compatible track (a special pick from series' new admins) with a raceable layout and a difficult Satan's Smile. Next up is Gran Turismo's fictional Autumn Ring with it's wide turns to allow those four abreast turn-ins that Clio racers love so much and a tricky crested chicane to watch out for. Third in the calendar is a series classic, UK's Thruxton; a VERY high speed track, with virtually half a lap driven around the top speed in sixth gear. From there we travel to Italy to race on Varano de' Melegariwriting a research pap

g>, the complete opposite with it's tight and technical chicanes and hairpins, slowest track in the entire season. Penultimate round is Calder Park, an Australian track that might also be known to some of the Clio afficionados, featuring some overtaking-friendly heavy brakings. For the last two races we travel across the ocean to the United States and we'll be racing on Sears Point, a hilly track in the middle of the sandy Californian landscape. The track's narrow, crested turns should provide an exciting season finisher.

Season One wasn't without it's teething problems, as some racers got too close for comfort in early rounds, causing a heavy rain of penalties. However a high standard of driving was restored very quickly, with not a single warning dished in the last couple of races despite a field of over 20 cars racing bumper-to-bumper, from start to finish, and we believe that the same level of quality high-adrenaline racing will be present from the very beginning.

First race will be ran on 15 February, signups are already open – if you're interested just head up to the forum at RaceDepartment.com, where you can find all the required information. And if you're not sure if it's as good as it might sound – just take a look at any of the season 1 highlights in the videos section.